


A Hammer Made of Gold

by serenbach



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bilbo Remains In Erebor, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, Fem!Bagginshield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 03:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11523570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/pseuds/serenbach
Summary: When Thorin first met Bilbo she thought that she was just like a hammer made of gold.Decorative, but too soft to do its job properly and a heavy weight to carry around. In other words, useless.She soon learned that she was wrong about that assumption.(But not wrong at all about her being beautiful.)





	A Hammer Made of Gold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Astardanced77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astardanced77/gifts).



> This is for astardanced77, who requested some fem bagginshield about 17 years ago as a pinch hitter thank you. 
> 
> I'm so sorry this has taken so long, hope you enjoy!

Thorin had always thought that Bilbo was pretty, right from the first time they met.

She had, however, also thought that she was as useful as a hammer made of gold – decorative, but too soft to do its job, and a burden to carry around.

In other words, completely useless.

Still, the soft short crop of curls glowing warmly in the firelight, the blouse and skirt showing off a pleasingly plump figure, and a face that would be sweet if it wasn’t scrunched up with bewilderment and annoyance was a pleasant sight, one Thorin was sure she would reflect on in the future, when the nights were long and she needed a distraction. She was even a bit regretful that she had been lost and late to the party when Dwalin reported that the hobbit had been wearing her nightclothes when he first arrived, but she wasn’t sorry that the hobbit had refused to join them.

At best, she would be a distraction, and at worst she would be nothing but dead weight on their journey and she rode away from the hobbit’s house feeling nothing but relief, despite their lack of burglar.

When Thorin looked back to see her chasing after them, bright smile on her face, contract streaming behind her like a flag, she was annoyed to feel her heart _thump_ hard in her chest.

\---

Thorin had thought the hobbit – Bilbo – was beautiful several times throughout their journey. In her snug-fitting trousers, her waistcoat and jacket, she was certainly a pleasing alternative to the tedious scenery. Thorin even thought she was attractive covered in troll snot and gripping her tiny new sword, much to her own bewilderment. She also thought she was lovely in Rivendell, with wonder in her wide eyes (as much as Thorin begrudged the source of it).  

But it wasn’t until Bilbo, dirty and dishevelled, promised to help them get back their home, and then leapt to her rescue despite the risk to herself that Thorin realised that she was as brave, loyal and honourable as she was beautiful, and, staring at her, as she was lit by the sunset and smiling uncertainly, that Thorin had been so very wrong in believing that she was useless.

Thorin’s heart thumped again, and it was hard, so hard, to step away from their hug.

Bilbo, of course, went on to prove Thorin’s second assumption wrong over and over again. She was a thoroughly capable scout, for a start, and they would have been trapped in Mirkwood by giant spiders or the whim of Thranduil (and Thorin couldn’t say which was worse) for who knew how long without her. If it wasn’t for Bilbo vouching for them, for _her,_ in Lake-town they could have been arrested (again), or forced to face the dragon armed with only a few rusty old tools.

And it was the memory of Bilbo smiling tenderly at the acorn she had picked up in Beorn’s garden that helped to draw Thorin gently out of the haze of goldsickness.

\---

It wasn’t until Thorin lay on the ice, her life bleeding out of her, that she realised the truth.

Bilbo knelt next to her, one hand pressing against the wound in her side, and the other gripping her hand, and Thorin stared at her, utterly at peace, despite everything she had done. It was more than she deserved, she knew, and Thorin was so grateful to her.

Bilbo’s hair was matted with blood, and tears streaked through the dirt on her face, and she was beautiful. The shaky smile on her face the best and saddest thing that she had ever seen, and Thorin loved her so much.  

Thorin was in love with her, and the knowledge warmed her slowing heart.

“Forgive me,” she croaked out, and Bilbo shook her head, not in disagreement, but in denial of what was before her.

“You’re going to be alright,” Bilbo promised her, her tears dripping on to Thorin’s face. She wished she had the strength to wipe them away. “I’m going to get help, and you are going to get well, and you’ll be Queen of Erebor, and everything is going to be fine. We’ll have plenty of time to forgive each other, our whole lives.”

“You would have stayed with me?” Thorin asked, and Bilbo nodded, tears falling faster.

“ _Kidhuztalkhur,_ ” Thorin murmured affectionately. It was pleasant to think of, the future that would not be. She kept her eyes on Bilbo’s face until the darkness took her.

\---

Thorin did not expect to wake, and when she did it was to find herself in some sort of tent, Dain sitting at her bedside, chomping on a wrinkled apple, and Bilbo asleep on a pallet next to him, a bandage around her head, but otherwise unharmed.

“It’s about time you woke up, cousin,” Dain said with a grin, slapping her shoulder with much less vigour than usual. “You’ve had us worried.”

Thorin ached, though not unbearably so. She wondered how long she had been asleep for.

Dain helped her up sit up enough to drink some water, and when she was done she closed her eyes again, the full memory of everything she had done hitting her at once.

“Was Fili’s body recovered?” she asked, voice hoarse for reasons other than thirst.

“We recovered him, aye,” Dain informed her, “alive, if not well. He sleeps, still, but Kili’s elf says he’ll be fine when he wakes. Kili is with him now. Your Company is fine, if a bit beaten up. It’s you we’ve all been worried for.”

The relief hit her all at once, enough that she ignored the reference to 'Kili's elf' and she felt tears slip down her face. Dain rubbed her arm comfortingly until she was calmer.

“I should get Oin,” Dain announced, “and Dwalin. They made me swear to get them as soon as you opened your eyes.”

“Thank you,” she said, utterly grateful. “For everything.”

Dain grinned at her, his hand on the tent flap. “Congratulations, by the way.”

Thorin let herself smile a little. “Erebor is ours again.”

“Not for that.” He nodded down at Bilbo and Thorin followed his gaze, puzzled.

“She’s a fierce little thing. She put her hands on her hips and glared at everyone until they stopped bickering and started working together. She’ll make an excellent consort.”

“Consort,” Thorin breathed longingly.

Dain gave her a puzzled look. “She said she promised not to leave you. I assumed the two of you -”

“I don’t deserve her,” Thorin said, though the thought of Bilbo being her consort made her heart swell, but she knew better than to trust in a promise given to comfort someone on their deathbed.

Dain came back to her side, and bent down and pressed his forehead to hers. “I disagree, and I’m sure she’ll do the same.” He pulled back with a wry smile. “Now I’m getting out of here before she tells me off for not waking her up.”

Thorin gazed at Bilbo, full of hope she couldn’t put a name to until Oin arrived, Dwalin hovering behind him, full of relief and fury, and she knew she was going to get thoroughly yelled at when was more recovered.

Bilbo woke half way through Oin’s examination and the utter joy on her face when she looked over at them made Thorin ache in a way unrelated to her stabbing.

Bilbo came to her bedside, and took Thorin’s hand, and Oin started to fuss at how rapidly her heart was starting to beat.

Bilbo had promised her that they would have time. She meant to make the most of that promise.

\---

Thorin had thought that Bilbo was beautiful the first time they met, but it was nothing compared to how she looked on their wedding day, almost a year to the day of the Unexpected Party.

She was wearing a heavy dwarven-style gown, though the colour and embroidery were very floral and hobbit-like in design. She wore flowers in her hair, and a necklace that Thorin had made with her own hands as part of her courting gifts, and she smiled at Thorin as if _she_ was the most beautiful thing that Bilbo had ever seen.

Thorin had never thought that she would be this lucky, not ever.

Later, as they danced together as their guests watched (a hobbit tradition, Thorin had learned, and one she was happy to have incorporated into their ceremony) Bilbo leaned her head on her shoulder, and Thorin didn’t care how besotted her smile was.

“Thorin, can I ask you something?” Bilbo said, and Thorin stroked her back as they swayed together.

“Anything,” she promised, kissing her temple.

“On Ravenhill…” she paused and cleared her throat. Bilbo didn’t like speaking of how she almost died, and Thorin pulled her closer. “You called me _kidhuztalkhur_ or something.” Her pronunciation was terrible, but Thorin understood. “I just remembered this morning, but no one would tell me what it means.”

Thorin cleared her throat, embarrassed. “It’s a term of endearment, of sorts.”

 “Of sorts? Is it dirty?” Bilbo asked, crooking an eyebrow as she grinned.

“No!” Thorin objected, then added awkwardly. “It means ‘golden hammer.’ It’s how I thought of you when we first met.” At Bilbo’s puzzled expression, she reluctantly added, “beautiful, but too heavy and soft to be of use.”

Bilbo’s lip twitched. Thorin wasn’t sure if she was amused or outraged.  

“Do you still want to marry me?” Thorin asked, only partly joking, and immediately Bilbo stepped closer into her embrace.

“I hope you know I’m going to bring this up whenever I need to prove a point about something,” she said, giving in and giggling as she drew Thorin down into a kiss.

“I look forward to it, my _kidhuztalkhur_ ” Thorin said as they drew apart just slightly, and Bilbo grinned back at her.

Thorin had never been this lucky. She was going to make the most of it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again!


End file.
